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It seems like here, the best way to combat mold in the hot humid summer is to run the a/c. In houses I've been in with mold, its usually because the residents don't run the a/c very often (to save $$). In Seattle since there's no a/c, would a dehumidifier work?

Mold in Seattle grows in winter/spring/fall- summer is the dry time and least moldy. Having good air circulation (forced air heat or cieiling fans fans and a wood stove) helps.

...and then we have, during only a very short period of the year these giant harmless bugs I've known as skeeter eaters...Supposedly they eat mosquitos, but they sometimes find their way inside and hang out on the wall. They're huge! The size of a small dog!

Huge yes size as a small dog ummm no that there was funny though. I am 39 been here my whole life lived in all areas of Seattle & have never ever seen one the size of a small dog

It seems likehere (not Seattle), the best way to combat mold in the hot humid summer is to run the a/c. In houses I've been in with mold, its usually because the residents don't run the a/c very often (to save $$). In Seattle since there's no a/c, would a dehumidifier work?

Seattle doesn't have a lot of humidity in the winter, and almost none in summer.
If you put on a dehumidifier in the summer in Seattle, the air would crack and turn to powder

The Allergy Council rated Seattle #100 on its list of places with the worst fall allergies. Austin TX, where I moved from last year, was #1. So my husband and kids are almost never sick here. Ironically I developed a mold allergy in Austin so it kicks my butt here too March to May. Otherwise we are far less sick in WA than we were in TX. Maybe because the air is way cleaner?? The bugs here are not intimidating at all and I love not having to deal with poisonous snakes, scorpions and GIANT bugs. It's all relative but we have been healthier here on the whole. I don't live in a flood plain, and again, I moved here from a place where flash floods could develop in an hour out of a sunny day but it does flood here occasionally in low lying areas. I think that can happen anywhere.

Yes there seems to be a major mold problem with living in the PNW area.

I am a San Francisco Native, born and raised, and have been in the Seattle area for 1.5 years to date. I hope this will help you prepare.

Proper disclosure though, I am interested in moving back to California and am in the process of replanning my move back to the Golden State as the Emerald State just doesn't do it for me.

Ok so with that semi-bias put aside, living in an apartment mold seems to be a nagging issue mainly in the bathroom areas. If you are not on top of cleaning up and drying your areas the mold infests like a bad apple. I can definitely smell subtle mold in the air occasionally. Bath towels usually need to be washed after 2 days otherwise they'll carry an awful smell of wet dampness as well. Nothing dries here during every season but Summer, so be prepared to keep the heater on full blast all year long.

Colds are not due to the weather, but due to people infecting each other, so with the rain and heavy winds and freezing temperatures during most of October through May, having people choosing to mainly stay indoors is a breeding pool for germs. The air itself is relatively clean and smells fresh on most wet days, the sunnier days you can see the smog in the air. I don't have allergies so can't give you a perspective from there.

So yeah, having more people stuffed indoors like in the office all day due to the rain will make spreading germs easier, but theres no heavy correlation.

I haven't had a problem with bugs and the ickys. I rarely notice insects, especially in the house they are not there. I would say that I have seen more insect related problems, like ants invading the house while I was in San Francisco and not here in Seattle.

Now back to my own biased opinion. If you are looking for a nice place to live Seattle isn't that bad if you can withstand the S.A.D. and if you like heavy winds. It doesn't rain as much as the news would portray here, but when it does rain it can go on for days on end, and add that to the overcasted skies it really can affect your mood.

I am an indoors person so I don't feel as if the weather has kept me from living the lifestyle that I like, but if you're not too into getting wet, and you like walks in the parks all the time, than its not gonna be fun for you here.

I know homes and rents are cheaper here than a comparable dwelling in California, but I would pay that premium to be in California. The commutes here are the worst.

Come here if you want more for your money, and can trade off the price for the weather.

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